Am I dreaming?
by dorypop
Summary: AU. Bae found Wendy when he was about to escape Neverland and took her with him. For some reason they have just landed in Storybrooke during 3x20.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time.**

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The bright, green light disappeared and they knew then deep inside that they had left Neverland. Finally. The boy turned to look for Wendy, to see if she was alright —if she was there, with him. He did not want to imagine what would his life be like in this new land —the Land Without Magic— if Wendy weren't with him. If he had to be alone once more, if he had to start a brand new life all over again on his own. He seriously doubted he had it in him to do such a thing while remaining sane.

But he didn't have to worry about that now, because he saw her then, looking around as if she had lost something. He couldn't help but smile.

Though his happiness didn't last long —when had it lasted? There was not only Wendy and him in that room —it was more like a warehouse, wasn't it? He had almost forgotten that it was even possible to build such huge constructions.

In fact, there were many people there, looking at them as if they had seen a pair of ghosts. Which may have been true, because he was also seeing a spectrum. An apparition. Someone he had imagined reencountering a thousand times during the years. Someone he had hated and blamed and longed for. Someone who, despite everything, he still loved.

He didn't know how he felt the moment he recognized his papa. He was angry, that he could tell, but there was something else. Why was he showing fear in his eyes? What was that feeling in the back of his neck; what was that tickle in the end of his fingers? If he hadn't known better, he would have sworn that it was magic. Wasn't that the Land **_Without_** Magic?

What was happening?

He wanted to approach his father, to ask him. He wanted to know and to understand. But then he remembered that there were in fact other people in there, and he didn't know if they were enemies. They probably were. What was he thinking? Why wasn't he on guard? Hadn't he learnt anything in Neverland?

Then Wendy reclaimed his attention.

"What have you done?" she said. She looked pale, she looked anxious. They were **_home_**. She wasn't supposed to look like that.

"What do you mean?" he asked, in confusion, deciding that his papa could wait, as he had waited all those years for him.

"I have to get back. I need to get back". She started walking, looking around, as if she was expecting to find a magic bean shining on the floor. But she didn't need a magic bean to get to Neverland. And she knew it. "Peter Pan, can you hear me?"

She started shouting as an insane little fool, while he tried to make her understand that she could not do what she was trying to.

"Wendy?"

She could not leave him. Not now.

"Wendy, stop! What are you doing? Stop!"

Not to go _**there**_.

"I want to get back! Leave me alone, you silly boy!"

"Wendy?" he whispered, without understanding. What was wrong with her? Why on earth would she want to go back?

"I want to go to Neverland! I BELIE…"

"Stop!" He bumped into her, throwing to the floor her fragile and little body covered only with that old nightgown. He didn't mean to hurt her, of course not. He only wanted to keep her safe. To prevent her from going back to Neverland. But she looked at him as if he was a monster. As if he was breaking her heart, when what was really happening was that she was breaking his.

"Bae!" Wendy cried. He really looked around for the first time and saw all the eyes suddenly stuck on him. His papa looked at him with tears and pain in his eyes. And there was a woman he had not truly noticed before with a strange and crazy smile. She was holding… wait, was that **_the_** dagger? Was she controlling his father? In the Land Without Magic? And how had Captain Hook escaped if he had just seen his ship a couple of hours ago, back in Neverland? Had he left it behind? That didn't sound convincing, even to him.

_Was he awake or was that big amount of nonsense merely a dream?_

And there were even more people… A boy that wasn't probably older than him —though that was a tricky issue, in fact, when one thought about the frozen time in Neverland. A guy with a sword, another one with a crossbow. And three women, the blonde one with her mouth wide open in surprise and maybe even fear.

The introductions would have to wait, anyway, because the woman with the dagger laughed. And her laugh was more of a scream. Creepy and scary, maybe even more than Pan's laugh —was that even possible?

"Look at what we have here… Kill him, doll", she said, merciless. And Bae understood, because that woman held his papa's dagger, and that meant that she controlled him —and it was just Bae's fault, because how had she known if it wasn't because he had told Hook about the dagger? It was his entire fault, and now she controlled the Dark One. She had just told him to kill Bae. And his papa **_had_** to obey. So he directed his hand against his son, and whispered an "I'm sorry" while his fingers closed around an invisible neck.

Bae saw from the corner of his eye how Wendy observed the whole scene with horror, crying his name. He even felt her strong fingers clutching his arm, before the woman with the dagger threw her away with her magic.

While he himself grew conscious that he couldn't breathe anymore, and tried to set free his neck of the hands that were killing him. But there was nothing there, he realized. Helpless tears appeared in his eyes. Because his papa was murdering him with his magic, with that damned magic of his, and Bae could do nothing but regret that he still loved him, even though he had abandoned him. Even after the eternity he had spent in Neverland, of which he and Wendy had just escaped. Even after having been left behind once and again, Bae could not help but think that in the end it was his entire fault, because it was him the reason why his papa had become the Dark One on the first place.

_(to be continued)_

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**A/N: So... here it goes! My first OUAT fic! I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy myself when I'm writing it. Please forgive spelling/grammar mistakes —English is not my mother tongue. Reviews are highly appreciated!**


	2. Chapter 2

Wendy was incredulously watching how Bae —his brother, that skinny boy that once tried to steal bread from her family— died in front of her eyes. How he sunk into the floor and started to convulse in his desperate need for air. This was not right; this was nowhere near _**right**_. She had known of course that Bae was in Neverland, but he wasn't supposed to rescue her, nor bring her to this… place. She didn't even know if it was her own world, or Bae's, or another one. Though it didn't look like Neverland at all. And there were adults there. One of them was actually killing Bae.

She tried to help, she really wanted to, but every time she attempted to go near Bae an invisible barrier made her fall apart.

"BAE!" her desperate cry was the only sound heard in the building, apart from the suffocated noises that Bae made in his agony. Nobody else made a single movement, as if they were thinking that if they moved they'd only make it worse. But it could not possibly worsen, because Bae was dying, and it was all Wendy's fault. As it had always been.

"Please!" she demanded, running and almost holding them for their clothes. The pirate that she had sometimes seen through the branches of her cage, the little boy with the look of belief. The blonde woman who was crying in silence, just the same as the man who was killing Bae. They both cried, as Wendy herself was doing without noticing, but none of them took one single step to save him. "Please, do something", she begged, falling to her knees. The blonde woman fixed her hazel eyes in her then, and whispered her name.

"Wendy", she said. "You love him".

"Please, milady. Please. Please do something. He can't die. He can't, after everything…" Wendy suddenly realized that maybe she was losing Bae's last moments. And she turned her gaze back to the agonizing lost boy, with an intense pain taking root in her heart. "I heard his screams of pain every night", she kept going, talking now for herself. "Peter wanted me to hear them. He told me it was him. But I knew he was not going to kill him. He didn't want to. He just wanted to make us suffer, but not to kill us. He can't die now…"

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Emma had still not fully accepted that that boy with Henry's brown hair and torn clothes, who was dying just in front of her, was Neal. The teen version of Neal. That boy that was the cause of Rumplestiltskin's manipulation of whole realm and who indirectly had provoked that she grew up without her parents. That same boy that had framed her and that had left her pregnant and broken-hearted in jail, without her Tallahassee or even the possibility of trusting enough in someone to ever find anything similar. That same man that kept dying and returning from death to make her heart ache.

But this was too cruel. A little girl was begging in her knees for someone to save a poor boy that seemed not to have eaten in centuries —who knows if that last part was true— from being killed by the hands of his own father. Gold seemed to be fighting against himself, with the only result that he was increasing the suffering on the poor child, as was delaying the moment of his death.

Emma didn't fully understand what was going on —after all, this Wendy Darling looked exactly the same as the one they had brought back to Storybrooke, but she didn't seem to recognise her or even Henry, who was looking at both children as if _this was just a dream_ and they were going to disappear the moment he blinked. Because after all this **_did_** seem to be a dream. Neal was not this child anymore… It had been a while since he was. Why had he come back then? Had they travelled in time, or something? Was that **_possible_**? It didn't make sense at all… They had just appeared from a green tornado. Like the one created by a magic bean —ah, and she remembered that very well, since Neal had fallen through one of them. So he seemed to keep falling through that kind of portals as a hobby, didn't he? And then the girl had wanted to go back? Where did they come from? Neverland? The Wendy she knew didn't want to stay in Neverland. Nor did the boy, for what she had seen when they had that little fight. It had all been so fast… And now they were trapped thanks to Zelena's magic —just the same as they had been by Pan's magic, back when Rumplestiltskin had died… Maybe this run on the family, this coming-back-from-the-dead-very-much-alive thing. At least Zelena had diverted her attention from the baby —oh, yes, and there was the issue that she had a newborn brother— to the boy Gold was fighting not to kill.

She knew she had to do something. Because she was the Savior, and even if she was fully aware that enjoying the wonders of a happy ending was something never able for her to achieve, she was supposed to help everyone else to get theirs. Because after all this boy was Henry's father, and he deserved to grow up with the family Emma herself never had.

Gold had told her more than once that magic was about feelings and not reason. She had tried to control it, to make it answer to her call. But in the end she seemed to be such a bad student that she didn't have a single word on it. Although she was getting pretty emotional, and that was what was needed.

She felt the magic, and freed herself from Zelena's spell. She could move again. She could do something.

Emma threw all her rage against the Wicked Witch. All her fears, all her pain. Every single piece of jealousy she could not help but feel for an innocent baby who deserved more than anyone what was always denied to her. All the feelings she was so comfortably hiding from the world were now directed to the Zelena. And her white magic hit the Wicked Witch like water would have —c'mon, was she really joking to herself in a moment like that?

Zelena screamed in pain as she opened her hands. Everyone could hear the dagger clinging against the floor.

And then the world stopped turning.

_(to be continued)_

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**A/N: Sooo... I know I added a few more people to that scene than what was shown on the series, but... put the blame on me =') Reviews would be lovely **


	3. Chapter 3

Rumplestiltskin could feel his own freedom the single moment Zelena released the dagger. The curse inside his head stopped shouting to narrow the grip on Bae's throat, but it still took him a second to recover control over himself and cease the magic. Someone else was holding the dagger, the Dark One knew it, but they were not trying to control him —not yet. So he took another second to catch his breath and look at his son.

Oh, he could not believe it. Bae looked thinner than what would be healthy. He was covered in old tatters and his face was dirty and painted with some sort of tribal drawings. His hair was long and tangled, Rumplestiltskin could see through his own tears. But he was Bae. **_His_** Bae. _He looked exactly the same as the boy he had dreamed about for centuries._ It was like he was fourteen again —still— and nothing had happened.

Of course that was not true. A great deal had happened. He had abandoned him, he had failed him. And he had regretted it, and created a curse to rectify his wrongs, and waited for twenty-eight years and made more mistakes. And then he had gotten on a plane and found him in New York, but his son had rejected him. He had said that his name was Neal Cassidy, and that he had grown up and he didn't need a father anymore. And then, instead of making the most of the little time they could have had to make amends, he had wasted it and he had thought his son had died, though in the end he had done so to save him. After everything he had done to him, in the end Bae had saved him. Once again.

So this was a miracle, wasn't it? His boy was here, alive. Though he had just almost killed him. He had just almost killed Bae! How could he go and ask for his forgiveness once more? He didn't have any right to do so.

But… this was not a grown-up man with a son in common with the Savior. This was just Bae. And he was frightened, he was afraid. Maybe he had just escaped Neverland, or at least that's what seemed to have happen.

Rumplestiltskin didn't even stop to consider the practicability of that. Maybe this boy **_did_** need his papa. Maybe —only maybe— this was his chance to make things right. If he had Bae with him… he didn't need anything else. He could be happy, with him. And Belle. He could have a family…

He walked hesitantly towards his son. He was coughing dug in the girl's hug. In **_Wendy's_** hug —Rumplestiltskin didn't forget a name, or a face.

"Bae", he whispered.

And his boy, his beloved boy, looked at him with this longing eyes of his —darker and sadder than he remembered. He stood on his feet with a bit of little help from Wendy, but refused to let the girl hold him completely. Rumplestiltskin knew he didn't want to show weakness, not even in front of him. And that was because he didn't feel he was safe yet, since Bae knew better than anybody else that his father would never judge him for showing his fears and debilities. Though Bae was always a way braver than him, wasn't him? He deserved a better father, and both of them knew that.

"I'm sorry, son", Rumplestiltskin started, even though he knew despite being immortal he would not live long enough to make up for all the pain he had caused to Bae. "I'm so sorry."

"You were being controlled", his son answered. He had that caution in his glance, in the way he tried to stiffen his flimsy shoulders… It made the curse in Rumplestiltskin's head want to claim vengeance and spill the blood of those who made Bae suffer. But he couldn't, could he? Because there were others, but the main responsible for his son's miseries was him. And he would gladly stab himself if he knew that would solve anything —after all, he had already crippled himself for his son; he had already taken upon a curse for him. But he knew that was the easy path. Hiding, running. He knew how to do that. But he wanted to make something right for once. He wanted to gain Bae's trust and love back.

"I'm sorry, Bae. I've hurt you in so many ways… I would like to talk to you."

"I don't think that's a good idea", he slammed.

"I'd like to explain you…"

"What? I know why you didn't come after me. I know you were scared, I understand that you wouldn't have felt at ease without your powers or your curse to guide you. I know you thought you were protecting me."

Bae was also crying. He had always been a strong child, he hardly cried while growing up. And know he was talking to him like the adult he was in mind while looking at him through the eyes of a kid.

"Bae…"

"I just wish you had made a different decision back then", he continued. "You can not change the past now."

Zelena thought she could. But his son was right, as he had always been. He was probably the most mature and intelligent person in that building at the moment, and he was only a child. Though he wasn't anymore.

"You don't know the whole story. I lied to you so many times… I want to be honest with you", he begged. "Please, son."

Bae hardened his glance. Maybe he was going too fast. Maybe his son needed time to adjust, to accept that Rumplestiltskin wanted to be in his life again. But he didn't know how much time he had. He didn't want to lose the opportunity to arrange things with him. He didn't know how to think anymore, how to fix this. He had been trapped by Zelena so long now that he thought he had lost his mind. And maybe that was it —he was insane and this was just an illusion. It was a way better than the usual ones, at least.

"Where are we? What is this place?", Bae asked, ignoring his pleas. Rumplestiltskin smiled. Well, he still got to talk to him, to look at him. That was all he needed at the moment.

"Storybrooke, Maine", he answered. "I… I created a curse that would bring me here, to the Land Without Magic."

"Then why is there magic?"

Rumplestiltskin swallowed.

"Because I brought it."

"Why?"

"I… I thought it would help me find you."

"Why?", Bae repeated.

"Because… Because I'm still a coward."

_(to be continued)_

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**A/N: So here we go. Thank you to everyone following/favoriting/reviewing my story. I know you are not many people but that only makes you more special.  
**


	4. Chapter 4

The moment Emma's magic reached the Wicked Witch, everyone felt they were free again. They could move, they could try to do something to change the situation.

The Dark One's dagger fell to the floor and Belle was the first one to grab it. She looked around marvelled by her own audacity, holding the knife as if it was the most precious treasure in the world. Because it was, for her.

Zelena looked at her with a complete mask of hatred in her face, and Belle took a step back. She would kill her, and then she would take Rumple's dagger back and force him again to do such horrible things. She could only imagine what he could have been feeling, set aside to the level of a puppet with no willing or word in his actions.

Belle looked at the witch trying to show a bravery she was far from feeling and prepared for the worst. She could hear Bae's coughs. That meant he was still alive. Maybe he had an opportunity now, maybe he could be saved this time. Belle really wanted a happy ending for Rumple, and she knew that he could never get peace if he really killed his son.

Zelena threw a fireball in her direction, but before it actually got to touch Belle, Regina created a magic shield around her that mirrored the attack against the Wicked Witch. Belle hurried to put herself out of the way; Regina would take care of Zelena and she could do little to help.

She turned around instead, and saw Prince Charming rocking his newborn son while humming sweet words in his little ear. Robin Hood held Regina's heart; Hook couldn't keep his sight away of Baelfire's attempts of breathing normally. Nor could Henry, who had embraced her mother pursuing comfort. Poor boy, he had just recovered his memories and the first thing he saw was his father coming back from the death… Emma caressed his hair, apparently unaware of the fact that she may have just saved more than one life. She wasn't even looking at Rumple or Bae —she watched her father holding her little brother with a feeling of longing that she didn't care to hide anymore. Almost the same one that Wendy showed in her unwashed little face while releasing Bae from her hug. This was the look of a child who had grown up without their parents… She could swear she had seen it even in Rumple's eyes sometimes.

Belle stroked carefully the dagger and kept it closer to her heart. The blade was cold where Rumplestiltskin's name was engraved.

_(to be continued)_

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**A/N: Actually, this little chapter was originally thought to be attached to the previous one... but I just felt the other one had to be on its own to have the strenght Rumple deserves. That's why I am posting this so soon =) **


	5. Chapter 5

Bae was tired. Not only because he had crossed realms just a couple of minutes ago, not only because he was still recovering from almost being throttled by his own father. He was also tired of fighting against Neverland for years, of hiding from Pan, of being chased by the other Lost Boys. He was tired of missing people. He was tired of letting people abandon him. And suddenly he had found himself leaning on Wendy while his father tried to make amends with him.

He just wanted to close his eyes and sleep, and forget about the world. But he knew so very well he wouldn't be able to do so until he felt completely safe, and that wasn't going to happen in a place where he certainly was surrounded by magic. He knew his knees were shaking because they didn't want to hold him anymore. But he couldn't just let go, could he? He couldn't close his eyes and wish _everything was a dream_ —and with everything he meant _**everything**_. When was the last time he had felt he had a home? A couple of days aboard the Jolly Roger, a couple of weeks at Darlings' house in London, a couple of years before his papa became the Dark One.

He didn't know what was right anymore, and he doubted he even wanted to follow the right path. He was just tired, and he wanted to be selfish and provide for himself. That was actually the plan —at the very beginning, he was going to escape Neverland on his own. But then he found Wendy, and he had to take her with him. He had just one magic bean, and he would certainly not come back for her. But Bae couldn't leave her behind, of course not. It was their only chance, and he did it.

But she… she had almost called the shadow. She wanted to go back to Neverland, Bae realised with horror. He didn't want to listen to his papa's apologies anymore —he felt his brain was going to explode.

"Look, I can't have this conversation right now", he said. He almost regretted being so rude when he saw the hurt look his father gave him —with his true eyes, not those lizard ones that the curse had provided him with. "I'm sorry", Bae whispered, and he truly was. He really wanted things to be okay between his father and him. He wanted to forgive him, to make him believe he was strong and brave as he believed so. But he was too tired to fight against his own anger and pain.

Bae wiped off the tears from his cheeks and turned to face Wendy.

"I am so sorry, Bae", the girl murmured with her voice broken of too much shouting and crying. "It's all my fault".

Bae looked at her and managed to smile. He dedicated her this smile of his that had survived Neverland. This smile that showed that under the deep layers of pain and hatred and loneliness Baelfire was still a boy. A boy that counted no more than the fourteen years old he was when he fell through a portal to the Land Without Magic. This smile that would never leave him, because after being a lost boy nobody ever manages to grow up completely. After being trapped in Neverland for hundreds of years he was sure he will never stop being a child in some ways.

"And why is that? Last time I checked the blame was on me". He tried to ignore the fact that his papa was right there, listening, trying to understand a son he didn't know anymore. But he felt that the tears he was just seeing in Wendy's eyes needed to be soothed before anything else. Because this little girl had cried already enough for a lifetime. All of them had.

"Don't be silly. I never listen to you, do I? That night, on my window, you told me not to follow the shadow. You told me not to trust magic, didn't you, Bae?" Wendy's gaze was so sincere and clean in that moment that Bae felt he could not swallow anymore, and it had nothing to do with the fact that he had just almost died of asphyxia. "And then I didn't listen to you, because I thought you were just a fool who didn't believe in magic. But you believed, Bae. You always believed and it was me the only fool. I was a foolish girl who fell in love with a trick, with a fairytale in an island full of mermaids and Indians and pirates to play the whole day long. But it was always night-time in Neverland, wasn't it? And I made all of you come there. You, and John and Michael."

Wendy shook her head and bit her lower lip, in an stupid attempt of preventing it from trembling. Bae took her skinny hands in between his own skinny ones. Bones and skin, that was all of what they were made of. And a little bit of hope, sometimes, shining back there in the bottom of their pupils.

"Why did you come? You should have lived your own life. A happy one, full of your own wonders. You never needed magic to do that", he assured.

"But of course, to save you! We all like playing the hero part, you see". It was her time to smile. Hers was a sad smile, though. It was so unfair that this girl had forgotten how to properly smile…

"You saved me a long time ago, without magic", he said. And she knew what was he talking about, of course she knew. How could any of them ever forget that day Bae had wanted to steal bread from her? It just seemed further away every time they tried to recall it. Sunken in London's fog some eternities ago.

"But I have to get back, nonetheless. My brothers are still there, they are his prisoners! If I stay here he will get them killed!" she explained, growing nervous. She freed her hands from Bae's and started walking away from him.

"Wendy?" he called, hopeless. He didn't know how to convince her, he didn't know what to tell her. He seemed to have forgotten how to speak his own language on the first place. He just felt so empty inside… Fresh tears run down his chin; he ignored them.

"Would you ever forgive me?" Wendy asked, and he knew deep inside he had already forgiven her. He just did not have the strength in him to keep fighting. He was starting to see her in a strange blur, and was well aware it may not be because of the tears. He couldn't ask her not to go and save her true brothers, when she had gone to Neverland to save _**him**_. Even though both of them knew it would be useless because they had never stood a chance against Pan.

"You will get _**yourself**_ killed", he whispered, though it echoed in the warehouse as everyone else kept a deep silence.

Bae fell to the ground when his knees refused to work anymore. But he didn't care, because he was losing Wendy, once again, and he wasn't doing anything to restrain her. Something was broken inside him and that little girl was the only one capable of making him not even believe but only pretend he was okay.

For a moment, just before he finally gave up and fainted, he wondered what had happened with that insane woman that had ordered the Dark One to kill him. Why was everything so quiet?

_(to be continued)_

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**A/N: My favourite chapter for the moment... I just love Bae soooo much *.* Hope you enjoy it!**


	6. Chapter 6

Regina was happy. She finally had her heart back, Henry remembered her and she had Robin Hood by her side. That lunatic sister of hers was going to be kept on a short lease and everythig seemed to be turning surprisingly satisfactory for her.

The former Evil Queen —because today she had even been able to make _**light**_ magic, who would have thought that was possible?— gave a final look to the dramatic scene that was taking place on that old warehouse. The Dark One himself was painfully —judging by the deep sorrow his face showed— listening to the argument between Pan's girl and Henry's father. That was insane enough, but then a for once undecided Belle was hesitating between approaching her True Love or keeping herself out of things, even though she still held the Dark One's dagger. Henry couldn't possibly open his eyes more even if he tried to... He was watching his returned-from-the-dead father and he could harldy resist the urge of running to hug him. What he was only doing because of the tight embrace his biological mother had on his shoulder... Regina suspected she needed more Henry's support than the boy needed hers. And everyone else, including the pirate, watched the two teens cry in a respectful silence maybe more appropriate for a funeral. But they had actually buried that man, that was true, so maybe they had the right to be surprised, Regina sighed, while following Robin outside the warehouse, where he was already carrying a defeated Zelena.

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Rumplestiltskin's heart was breaking at the same time his son's was, while he played the part of silent witness of the guilty talk Bae and Wendy Darling were having. He knew his son was not fully understanding what was surrounding him —he could see that in his tired look, the same one he used to have when, hundreds of years ago, he used to send his son to bed and that little boy of his refused to obey, arguing he was not tired at all. He knew Bae couldn't handle it anymore seconds before his son fell to the ground, and that's why he was the first one to be there to grab him. Oh, his bony body was too light. He was not the healthy boy he was supposed to have grown up into. But what did he expect? After all, Bae had spent the past centuries living in Neverland, chased by Peter Pan.

Rumplestiltskin looked at his boy's broken smile while gently placing his skinny body in the ground. He did still have hope, he did still smile. He couldn't for a moment forget he was after all the father of the boy who carried the Heart of the Truest Believer. And Henry had obviously not inherited that from Ms. Sceptic-Until-My-Death Swan. Rumplestiltskin brushed his son's hair away from his dirty forehead, covered in dry blood and old mug, and felt his own lips slowly draw a shy smile. Because this was his son, and he was alive. Bae was alive! He didn't understand how, and he honestly didn't care. His son was alive, and he was embracing him. That was all that mattered.

_(to be continued)_

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**A/N: Sorry for the short lenght... Kind of an interlude. Enjoy!**


	7. Chapter 7

"Wendy?"

The quivery girl looked up from Bae's slept face when she heard her name. It was this woman with bright blue eyes calling her, and she was smiling. But Wendy didn't trust smiles anymore, and she didn't care about what the woman would possibly want with her.

"Who are you?", she asked, filling her gaze with the bitterness she knew was overflowing her tired heart.

But the woman didn't scare away, as Wendy had expected. She didn't turn her back. Actually, her smile grew bigger and she offered her hand to help the girl to stand up. Wendy hadn't even realised she was lying on the floor.

"You don't remember me, do you? My name's Belle. I met you, once... Long time ago", she explained.

Wendy refused to accept her help, but stood up by herself.

"I've never crossed paths with you. I'm sorry", she said, not really sure why she apologized. She kind of felt she was talking to a great lady, similar to the ones that used to visit her family in London and stay for dinner, and tell her and her brothers how much they had grown up since a last time she didn't remember either. She wanted so bad to go back to these days...

"It was another time, and it's perfectly reasonable you don't remember. But don't worry, Wendy. I'm not hear to hurt you, or Bae".

"Do you know him?", Wendy asked, without lowering her guard. She didn't know that woman, not really. And she was tired of listening to fairytales that were only lies meant to make her suffer. She felt she could not discern between what was real and what wasn't anymore. She was exhausted of blindly believing.

"I spent some time with him, also a long time ago", she answered. Wendy wanted to trust her, because she seemed so harmless and kind that she reminded her of her own mother. And she missed her mother so bad... But she knew better than to fall for the first impression. That woman could very well be manipulating her, she would certainly not be the first one. "However, I wanted to tell you something... Something about your brothers", she continued. And suddenly Wendy felt her interest grow a little bit, despite her efforts.

"Who are you?", she repeated, taking a step back from her. She could feel new, warm tears wetting her already wet cheeks.

"I just... couldn't help but listen to what you told Bae... I think I can help. I... I've met your brothers, Wendy."

"What? You are lying! Have you been in Neverland? You haven't met any of us! We've been trapped there for... for..." Wendy felt stupid when she couldn't actually tell how many years she had spent there. She _**should**_ know. Why didn't she?

"Wendy, your brothers... They came here", the woman kept going. "Peter Pan sent them, they... They only did as he told them because Pan held you captive. They were trying to save you".

Wendy blinked. What was this place called again?

"Where are we?", she asked. Her voice had lost all its strenght.

"We're in your land, Wendy. And your brothers are here. I can guide you to them, I promised them I'd help them to save you."

Wendy refused to believe it. She just couldn't. Maybe that many years of listening to lies and watching illusions created only to drive her insane had finally given fruits. Maybe she was losing her sanity.

"Really?", she asked, instead.

"Yes. They're waiting for you".

"But..."

If that was true, if they were there... Then Bae was right.

Wendy walked towards him; the man holding him —Bae's father! _**That**_ was certainly insane— allowed her some space to come closer. She extended her hand to touch his cheek, painted with black ink. It felt hot to her finger —he was burning up.

"Oh, Bae", she mumbled. "I'm so sorry. I never learn from my mistakes. I keep ignoring your advice, when you are the wisest person I've ever known. If I ever listened to you..." Wendy caressed his cheek, as if her stroke could soothe his fever. "Please don't hate me. I wouldn't be able to bear you hating me..." Wendy could feel the man's gaze drilling her, but she ignored him in purpose. She didn't really know what had happened between Bae and his father, but she knew there was some dark issues for sure. And that man had something intimidating in his dark eyes. "Have you heard that?", she continued, centering all her attention back to Bae. "My brothers are here. All of you. I couldn't be happier..." Her voice broke completely, and she just couldn't carry on. She just cried and cried, until the blue-eyed woman led her outside.

_(to be continued)_

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**A/N: So... Sorry for the delay! February's been kind of a strange month, but now I'm back to the routine. I don't know how long it'll take me to write next chapter, but I'm glad to announce that it will be the last one! So please review and let me know what did you think!  
**


	8. Chapter 8

Bae woke up in a strange place. He had been sleeping in a bed he didn't remember curling himself up in, covered with a blanket he surely didn't posses. _Was he still dreaming?_ But it had been real, hadn't it? He and Wendy had escaped Neverland, and they had come to the Land Without Magic. Right?

He got up and discovered he was in an oddly-furnished room, illuminated by a strangely warm, yellow light. He hadn't ever seen something similar, but in some way he liked it. It was clean; there was a quite vague cinnamon smell in the air. No mug, no rocks, no trees and no traps. It was nothing like Neverland, and he loved that.

Suddenly, he heard someone approaching him from the stairs. He stood up on guard, caressing carefully the knife he always carried on an inside pocket of his clothing. He waited, half-hidden by a column, trying to make no noise. Trying to be invisible.

It was a boy. He knew whim —well, he **_knew_** he had been when he had appeared in this land. Had it been yesterday, or maybe only a couple hours ago? He still felt the invisible fingers his papa's magic was conjuring around his neck.

"Who are you?", he asked, concealing the cough.

The boy landed on the floor and sat unconcernedly on the first rung of the stairs —he didn't seem to consider Bae as a threat.

"You don't remember it yet, but we've met before".

"What?"

Bae was feeling nervous. He had to scape that place —find Wendy and run as fast as they could. After all, they were supposed to be now in the Land Without Magic. They surely could reach London easily, and everything will do fine. He just had to go before he saw his father again, or he knew too well he'd then have to have a long conversation with him. And he didn't feel at all like arguing with him, not again.

"It's okay, we'll get there. But for now… well, I'm Henry", the boy said. As if his name would mean something for Bae. Should it? Bae didn't say a word, but the other boy, Henry, didn't move. He even looked relaxed! "So… I get you're Baelfire. Bae's better?", he kept going.

"I don't… I don't understand", he managed to say.

Henry smiled, but he didn't explain anything to him. And then another woman came, the blonde one that had also been there in that warehouse.

"Henry, please. Leave him alone. He needs to rest", she said, and Bae got she was talking about himself. Besides, why did she look at him like if she knew him? Why all of them did?

"I was only talking to him…" the boy started, but Bae intervened:

"I don't want to talk to any of you. I just… I'll just go".

The woman tried to approach him, but Bae took a step back. "Hey, there's no need. You don't have to go… you're safe here", she said, tenderly. As if she were talking to a little kid. And well, he maybe looked like a kid, but he was probably way older than her.

"Who says so?"

"Look, I've been where you are now. I was abandoned too and…"

"I don't care about your problems. I've got no means to pay you for the bed, but I'm very grateful and I assure you I won't be of any more problems. I'll leave and you won't see me ever again", he said. He could feel how a deep headache was starting to take roots on him.

"You wouldn't leave without Wendy"

"What? What have you done to her?", he asked, holding even more tightly his knife. He had killed with it before and he wouldn't doubt to do it again.

"Nothing, she's all well. She just found her brothers! Look, uhm, Bae, why don't you wait here until your father comes? You can have something for breakfast", she offered, heading into the kitchen.

Oh, breakfast sounded good. He didn't even remember the last time he had had anything to eat, and for a moment he allowed the hand that wasn't holding the knife to caress flickeringly his empty belly. But there was something in that woman… The way she looked at him, the vacillation she'd showed before saying his name —the fact that she had mentioned his father was coming. He couldn't afford staying there. And what else had she said? Wendy had found her brothers. So they weren't in Neverland, or this woman wouldn't know. So they were safe.

So he was alone, once more.

He wanted to cry, but he couldn't just do that in front of that two strangers. They seemed too nice —there had to be something they were plotting against him, or against somebody else. He'd better not interfere in that. He'd better get out of the way, as he had done for so many years in Neverland. That was the best way of surviving.

But just a second before beginning to walk towards de door, Bae suddenly felt his hand opening the grip and the knife falling to the floor, as he couldn't control his own body any longer and the tears flooded his eyes while the sobs did so with his chest.

Emma could see Neal in that boy, but she was well aware he was not him. Not really. He was a way more polite than the man who had abandoned her in jail, a way more concerned about consequences. A way more worried about the future. A way more mature, in a way. Was that even possible, to be more mature at a younger age than furtherly on life? That didn't make any sense, did it? This boy had just escaped Neverland, therefore he should be a kid now more than ever. Yet Emma couldn't help but feel the man she had fallen for had been much less an adult than this poor kid with torn clothes. Had this world hurt him more than Neverland did, to make him the way he was? It was frightening, to think about it. But she had been in both places, and although Neverland seemed to be more dangerous at a first look —well, maybe at the second look. At the beginning it just looked like a stupid jungle—, she had grown up in this land, and she knew how cruel it could be.

So she forgot about Neal —who was supposed to be dead, by the way, and she would deal with that maybe later— and started seeing this child just as a child. A child probably older than her, but that didn't really matter, because he was a lost boy. And she'd been —she still was, perhaps she would forever be— a lost girl. She could see he was afraid, he didn't trust her. How could he? She knew how he was feeling. She **_remembered_**.

And what would comfort that young teen Emma, back before she left the foster system? Finding a family, maybe, but that didn't work in this case. Well, it'd be, because technically this boy was Henry's father, so they were kind of family —even though he was not yet her ex-boyfriend. What else could make him feel he had a home? Friends?

A hug?

He didn't look like he needed one; he was more likely to scream and attack her if she tried to approach him. That's why she did so —she would have loved it if somebody had hugged her sometimes. She was just not the kind of person who likes starting hugs, normally, but she made an exception.

And Bae hugged her back, and started crying and sobbing, not caring anymore if he showed how lost and sad he was.

"Hey", she said. She doubted, because she did not want to sound like her mother when she started babbling all that dumb stuff about believing and having faith and happy endings. She didn't want to lie to him, because he would certainly not fall for it. "You're not alone, now", she tried. "You can find a home".

The boy didn't seem to relax at her words, but she kept going, and eventually he run out of tears and decided it was enough for the moment. He dried his face with the back of his hand and sniffed noisily. Emma smiled in response.

"I'm sorry", he said.

Emma was going to click her tongue and say something like "that's life" or so, but then someone knocked on the door, and Bae startled.

Henry opened. It was Gold, of course.

_(to be continued)_

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**A/N: I knew I said this was going to be the last chapter, but I thought it would take me shorter to cover all the reactions and feelings I have planned for this. I want to give it kind of an end, more or less closing things up, but my problem is that I love ANGST so much I can't resist the temptation to make Bae suffer. So... will be a next chapter, and I'd like to say it's going to be the last one, but this time I won't promise anything, just to be safe. Sorry for the delay as well, and enjoy!**


	9. Chapter 9

Rumplestiltskin knocked on the door and waited. It was certainly not the first time he visited the apartment in which Mary Margaret Blanchard had lived by herself for twenty-eight long years, but it felt like it. It felt like he was just about to touch a treasure, moved by curiosity, and destroy it. He always destroyed everything he touched.

And his treasure was Bae, as he always had been.

Henry opened the door and there he was.

Rumplestiltskin attempted a smile while he limped inside, carefully watching Bae's movements. He wanted to make things right, just for once.

"Have you rested? You could have come to my place, but it has been empty for some time and nothing was ready", he stopped talking. Bae hadn't blinked yet, he was just staring at him as if he was a ghost. "Are you okay? Do you need anything?", he asked. He was nervously rubbing his cane's handle, feeling the sweat run freely in the back of his neck. In that moment he wished he had accepted Belle's offer to accompany him, although he knew this was something he needed to do alone. Bae was **_his_** son, after all.

"I don't really want to talk to you", Bae finally said. "Sorry."

"Please. Please let me just tell you something", Rumplestiltskin insisted. He was well aware this was not going to be easy, so he knew exactly what he needed to say. If only Bae was willing to listen for a moment.

"What do you want to tell me? I don't wanna know what you have done all this years with your powers or anything like that —I just don't".

It was going well. He hadn't still run away.

"I only need you to know that I'm sorry".

Bae kept looking even when his father made a pause. That was it —he was listening. Rumplestiltskin took a deep breath.

"I am really sorry. I shouldn't have lied to you. I should have told you the truth from the beginning. I shouldn't —"

"What the hell are you talking about?", Bae interrupted. "Is that what you regret the most? The **_lying_**? Really? This can't be true."

"But, Bae. I thought —"

"Look. I really, **_really_**, don't wanna talk to you now. I doubt I ever will, but especially not now. I need to find Wendy"

"But you need to know the truth!", Rumplestiltskin claimed.

"What truth? Yours? Why you didn't tell me Mama was dead? Why you lied when you said you were coming with me? Why you said you'd leave all your magic and your shit behind and follow me to the Land Withouth Magic?"

Now Bae was furious; he was shouting and something in his voice made Rumplestiltskin believe he was just about to cry. If Bae started crying he would instantly follow.

"Maybe you guys should eat something first?", Henry suddenly offered. Rumplestiltskin had almost forgotten he and his mother were still there, watching the whole scene with a strange look in their faces. Henry opened the fridge in an unsuccessful attempt of getting himself occupied.

"Henry, get out of the way", his mother scolded him. "In fact, we should leave you guys alone", Emma added, pointing with her blonde head to the front door.

Rumplestiltskin agreed with them. This was something between Bae and him. They would deal later with the fact that Emma was the former Bae's girlfriend and the boy, their son. Life was at the moment complicated enough.

But Bae did not accept that.

"You don't have to leave. This is your house", he reasoned.

"Bae, maybe it's for the best that—"

"No! What makes you think I wanna be alone with you?"

Rumplestiltskin took a deep breath and forced himself to ignore again Emma and Henry. At least they had the decency of shutting up for a couple of minutes —they only noise they made was when Emma closed the fridge.

"We need to talk", he started one more time.

"About lying? Don't you really have better ideas? Like, I don't know, what about the fact that you abandoned me?"

Something hurt really bad in Rumplestiltskin's stomach. And he knew why —the Bae he knew would never talk to him like that. Yet he was incredibly grateful for having the opportunity of making amends with this Bae —the one damaged by Peter Pan, the lost boy—, even though that did not make the pain go away. Bae was there, in front of him, **_listening _**to him. **_How many times had he dreamed about this?_** But he was suffering. And Rumplestiltskin was his father —he did not want anything in the world to harm his Bae.

"I lied to you then, when I said I was willing to cross a portal created by a magic bean. And I lied to you before. I am only asking time from you. I need to tell you a story."

"For what?", Bae slapped. "So that you can charm me and make me fall for your lies? I won't believe a word. Don't waste your saliva".

"I don't want to tell you a story so that you will forgive me! I want to tell you a story so that you can understand!"

Bae's head leaned a little bit to the right. Below all that anger and hate there still was his little Bae. That skinny boy who always smiled when his father started telling a new story.

"I understand what's needed to. You left me. That's it", he said. But he was listening. He had being listening the whole time. He was just a lost boy desperately claiming for attention.

So Rumplestiltskin grabbed the chance and began to talk. He knew this time he had now was a gift —one he did not deserve, regarding how he had wasted his whole life, but one he miraculously had. And he took it.

He told Bae who Peter Pan really was. He told the story of the boy who was abbandoned by a father who wanted to fly. He told his son about that another magic bean. He told him how scared he had always been of people leaving him behind. He also told him things he had never spoken out loud —he spoke about the Seer and about Milah. He told how he had killed her because he felt so guilty that he had left Bae he needed to do something about it. He told him about the curse; about Regina and the Saviour. He listed all the mistakes he had made in his life, not daring to ask for forgiveness.

"I know it is too late for this. I am well aware you didn't ask for this father you have. I only wish you had had a happy life, because that's what you deserve", he concluded.

Both of them were crying —even Emma and Henry were crying, although nobody really payed attention to them—, but they could not care less.

"Why?", Bae started, after a long pause. He had not said a single word during his father's speech. "Why you didn't tell me before? You could have trusted me, you know? I could have understood why you didn't want to come to the Land Without Magic if only you'd tell me this before!"

"I know."

"You never told me about your father! Peter Pan is your father? Pan is your father!", he cried. But he did not look angry anymore. On the contrary, he looked as if he were relieved.

"I was being a coward."

"You were being stupid", Bae sentenced. "You were never a coward. You keep making the wrong decisions and you justify yourself saying you are a coward and you can't help it but I don't fall for it."

"Bae—", Rumplestiltskin took a step towards his son. Bae did not move.

"You raised me on your own. What you did back then—", Bae had a glance at Emma and Henry, both strangers for him, before saying anything compromising. "What you did to save me from going to war, that was not cowardice. You were brave that day, I've always believed that."

Rumplestiltskin wanted to say something but no word would come out of his mouth, suddenly too dry to speak. Was Bae —his Bae— saying he thought he was brave?

So he took another step towards his son, and another one. And out of a clear he was hugging him.

Bae did not run away. He did not hug his father back, either, but he did certainly not run away. And that was **_something_**.

"Would you ever be able to forgive me?", he asked, when he recovered his ability to speak.

"I don't know", Bae answered, honestly.

Rumplestiltskin smiled, stepping back again to have another look at his son. He could still see pieces of mistrust and suspicion in the way he was looking at him, but he was happy. Bae did not say "no".

**THE END**

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**A/N: I am so terribly sorry for the long delay. You know, life happened. But I finally finished this! It's my first fic ever and I am well aware there are plenty of mistakes because of my English. I also know these long breaks between a chapter and the following one have only made things worse. This last chapter didn't come out exactly the way I was expecting because I of that, but I wanted to finish and upload it so I decided to stop thinking about it. I keep appreciating feedback ;) Enjoy!**


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